Riders on the Storm
by Rose du Nuit
Summary: Harry and Draco join an intelligence agency run by Dumbledore. They have to protect the residents of Privet Drive. There’s only one small catch. They have to pose as a gay couple, but are the really posing? SLASH!!
1. Inspiration

Riders on the storm, riders on the storm  
Into this house we're born  
Into this world we're thrown  
Riders on the storm  
~ The Doors 


	2. Ch1:The Riders

Harry Potter and Draco Malfoy emerged from the locker room at the same time after the Slytherin/Gryffindor Quidditch match. "Good game, Potter," the Slytherin seeker said nodding to the other seventh-year.   
  
"You too, Malfoy," Harry nodded in return. The two stood upon the Quidditch pitch, surveying the receding crowds.   
  
"I'm really going to miss this place. I'm going to miss playing Quidditch against you, Harry."   
  
"Me too." Harry realized he would indeed miss the small competitions with Draco. As the years had progressed, their animosity had grown to understanding and then friendship. "At least we tied in our last match, eh, Draco?"  
  
"Yeah."  
  
The two walked back to the castle laughing, remembering previous matches.  
  
"Hey, there's an announcement on the doors!" Harry exclaimed. He ran up the last few steps and read aloud. "All students listed below please meet in the Great Hall after the Slytherin/Gryffindor Quidditch match today. We're both on it."  
  
Draco, the taller of the two, leaned over Harry. "Everyone on there's in seventh-year, and most of them either plays Quidditch or are damn good on a broomstick."  
  
"Well, we should probably get going."  
  
They walked into the Great Hall, still carrying their brooms. "Ah, the last two," Dumbledore mused as the doors closed behind them. "You are gathered here because you now have the decision to make of what to do with your time after school. Some have made it into professional Quidditch, others as Quidditch theorists, and still others have, as yet, made no decision. I am going to offer all of you positions in the Riders of the Storm. This is a group of skilled fliers who collect information and protect wizards and muggles alike. It is dangerous, very dangerous, but also fulfilling. All of those who wish to leave now may do so." He looked around the room as a few quietly rose and left the room, mostly Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs, but a few Gryffindors and the only Slytherin, other than Draco, left as well. "Those of you who remain will meet here an hour after the train departs next month for briefing on your first mission. Good day to you, Riders." Harry and Draco parted ways at the doors, heading for their dorms.  
  
Time seemed to stop or at least move at the speed of frozen molasses for the next month. Harry said goodbye to Ron and Hermione as they boarded the Hogwarts Express. Draco suddenly appeared by his side. "See ya, Muggle," he said hugging Hermione. "Later, Weasel." He shook Ron's hand. The terms had become terms of endearment, rather than insults.  
  
The couple replied with, "See ya, Dark Wizard." Once more, a term of endearment. Ron and Hermione boarded the train with one last look at their best friend, wondering if they would ever see him alive again. Harry watched the train depart, his throat strangely constricted. Draco placed a comforting hand on Harry's shoulder. "It must be hard to say goodbye to someone you love, someone who loves you."  
  
"It must be even harder to know your parents hold no love for you."  
  
Out of the corner of his eye, Harry saw Draco bend his head in silent grief. He took the blonde in his arms, not caring what the other students may think. "I'm sorry," he murmured in Draco's ear, "I shouldn't have said that."  
  
"No, it's alright. I know you didn't mean it to be cruel. It's just."  
  
"I know." Draco nuzzled Harry's mop of raven hair. "Your hair smells nice, Harry," he said in an attempt to change the subject. _Oh, no, what did I just say?_  
  
Both boys started and pulled away. "We should, er, be going to the Great Hall," Harry said nervously eyeing Draco.  
  
"Yes, we should."  
  
As soon as they entered the Great Hall Hedwig and Lucifer, Draco's eagle owl, swooped on them, delivering identical pieces of parchment. Harry untied his and began reading:  
  
**_Your partner will be Draco Malfoy, I hope you don't murder each other. You will be watching over the residents of Privet Drive. There is one witch living there, her name is Antonia Figg. She is a retired intelligence agent, so watch her house carefully. Needless to say, you will have to live on Privet Drive. Number 12 has been secured as your new residence. You and Mr. Malfoy must appear to be a normal couple; yes, this means clinging and public display of affection. You also need to appear to be Muggles. Take Mr. Malfoy shopping, I don't think he owns any Muggle clothing. Antonia will be watching out for you as well, by the way; she knows more about the spies of Voldemort, and will be able to help you. I've arranged an afternoon tea for you two with her for the twenty-eighth of June. Good luck to the both of you._**

Harry looked up at Draco, then stuffed the note in his pocket as the two owls landed on the shoulder of their owner. "Meeting adjourned," Dumbledore said from the staff table, neither had noticed he was there.

As they left the hall, both boys wondered briefly if a fake relationship between them would last longer than their real one had.  
  
Draco was the one to break the silence. "I guess we should get our stuff and move in."  
  
"Yeah," Harry agreed, "but first we need to get you some Muggle clothes first."  
  
"Yeah, that might be a good idea."  
  
They quickly went to their dorms and grabbed their trunks, and met back in the entrance hall. They levitated their trunks and walked to Hogsmeade, where they left their trunks and apparated to the changing room of a random clothing store. Harry went out into the store and found jeans for Draco to try on first, then, once Draco asked if Muggles wore anything else, he brought him a few pairs of leather slacks and semi-dress trousers. Harry ended up taking back all the dress trousers he'd brought in, and bringing Draco more leather slacks. Harry proceeded to bring Draco T-shirts, and nice button-down shirts, most of which Draco liked. Once Draco had come up with one-hundred-fifty pounds worth of clothing, Harry told him to go back to Hogsmeade, and he would bring his clothes presently. Harry paid for Draco's clothes, vowing never to take the other boy shopping again. Once he had apparated back to the Leaky Cauldron, he thrust the bags at Draco, "Here; change."  
  
Harry impatiently waited for Draco to change. When Draco finally did return to stuff the rest of his clothes in his trunk, Harry blinked a few times. Draco was wearing one the pairs so leather slacks he'd gotten, and the mesh button-down shirt, he had insisted on getting.  
  
"You'd better change too, if we're supposed to look like a gay couple," Draco said to him. Harry opened his own trunk and withdrew a pair of black jeans and a black T-shirt. _And he thinks he'll look gay in that?_ Draco snorted to himself, but promptly changed his mind upon seeing Harry in them. The jeans were made just right, so that they clung to his nicely curved buttocks and muscular thighs. The T-shirt was not a simple T-shirt, but a muscle shirt, aptly named on Harry. It was semi-translucent, and hugged his arms and chest, showing off his Quidditch muscles. The two stared at each other a moment, each thinking, _He looks hot!_ But neither wanting to voice the fact.  
  
"Now, we need to rent a car," Harry said. "This is much more work than it should be."  
  
"I hope you know how to drive, Potter," Draco's voice was slightly fearful.  
  
"Yes, as a matter of fact, I do," Harry replied with a grin.  
  
As Harry and Draco climbed out of the rented Shelby Mustang and pulled their trunks (transfigured into suitcases) out of the boot, Draco hissed, "Remind me never to get in a car when you're driving."  
  
Harry wrapped an arm around Draco's waist, and kissed his cheek, hoping Petunia was watching, before saying, "It's safer than riding with Ron."  
  
"I don't even want to think about his driving 'skills.' He wrecked into the Whomping Willow, remember?"  
  
"He was twelve, but I can't say his driving has improved much since then," Harry said unlocking the front door.  
  
They left their suitcases by the door as they walked around the fully furnished house.  
  
"Living room looks nice," Draco critiqued. "What's that black thing?"  
  
"That's the telly," Harry explained. "It's uh hard to explain."  
  
"Oh. Is there one of those computer things in this place?"  
  
"Yeah," Harry said from the landing of the second floor. "In the er, bedroom."  
  
"Not one in each?" Draco asked.  
  
"Er." Harry paused.  
  
"Uh oh." Draco started up the stairs. "Why don't I like the sound of that?"  
  
"Because there's, er, only one bedroom."  
  
"WHAT?!" Draco bounded up the rest of the stairs to make sure Harry wasn't kidding him. Unfortunately the entire upstairs was one bedroom, with a giant bed underneath one window. "He doesn't expect us to SLEEP together, does he?"  
  
"I uh think so. I'll sleep on the floor."  
  
"No, the Messiah should sleep in the bed. With his lover, of course."  
  
"I'm not the bloody Messiah! And thank you for your input, Mary Magdalene," Harry exclaimed before seeing Draco's smirk.  
  
"Only joking, love." Harry quirked an eyebrow. Draco nodded towards the stairwell, almost imperceptibly. Harry glanced around, and noticed his aunt standing on the top step. "Now, can we end this argument, please, you know I hate it when you shout."  
  
"Of course, lovely. Forgive me?"  
  
"With all my heart." Harry walked over to Draco, wrapping an arm around his waist, turning them around to face their intruder. "Oh, hello, Aunt Petunia. How did you get in here?"  
  
"I heard raised voices and saw the open door. I thought there was a break in." She looked back and forth between the two boys. "I'm sorry if I interrupted anything."  
  
"Oh, no, not at all," Draco cooed. "Harry and I were just having a lover's quarrel, I'm sure you know how it is. But it's all right now. Would you like to come to dinner tomorrow?" He asked as politely as he could, trying to keep down a snigger. "I would ask you today, but we need to finish moving in. As you can see we're nearly there. No need to procrastinate."  
  
"I'll talk to Vernon."  
  
"Good." Draco smiled like a lion about to pounce. "I look forward to meeting my fianc's uncle."  
  
Harry started to snort, but caught himself in time to turn it to a cough. His fiancé? He leaned over and kissed Draco full on the mouth. It was a forced, chaste kiss, but had the desired affects.  
  
Draco finally shut up, and Petunia stuttered, "I'll, er, just be going, then."  
  
Harry pulled away when he heard her stumbling down the stairs. He untangled himself from Draco and followed her to the door, closing, and locking it after her. He turned around to glare at Draco, who had followed him. "I was trying to get rid of her!" he explained.  
  
"Uh huh. Whatever," Harry muttered.  
  
"I'll sleep on the floor, Harry, to make it up to you."  
  
"Are you sure you're a Malfoy?"  
  
"I wish I wasn't. Anyway, time for bed, we have breakfast with Mrs. Figg at 6:30 tomorrow morning, and we'll need to figure out what the hell we're going make for dinner if your aunt and uncle turn up."  
  
"They won't, but best to be prepared. And we're supposed to be protecting the residents of this area as well."  
  
Harry levitated his suitcase up the stairs, and pulled out the Puddlemere athletic shorts Ron had given him for his last birthday as Draco came up the stairs carrying his suitcase on his shoulder. "You know, for someone with as many muscles as you have, you use them very seldom."  
  
"Sod off, Malfoy," Harry snarled as he began to change.  
  
"You're really in a foul mood today. What's wrong?"  
  
"Nothing is wrong. Absolutely nothing."  
  
_He's hiding something from me._ This revelation hurt him more than he could have ever known possible. "All right, Harry."  
  
Draco pulled out his Puddlemere sweatpants, and quickly changed, then grabbed a blanket from a shelf in the closet, and proceeded to make a fairly comfortable bed on the floor. He held out his hand and summoned one of the pillows on the bed to him. He tried to sleep but couldn't.  
  
This was just a repost after I noticed some errors. To those who muddled through them and still thought it was good, thank you very much.


	3. Ch2:Revelations and a Late Night Visitor

Harry watched Draco, wondering how he could have ended their relationship. After all, he loved Draco very much. He saw the pillow fly across the room even though Draco's wand was in his trunk. _Wandless magic,_ He thought in awe as he climbed into bed. He fell asleep immediately.  
  
Draco couldn't sleep. Maybe it was the floor, though he doubted it, maybe it was that he was frightened, he doubted that as well, maybe it was that he realized he was still in love with Harry. Anyway, the fact was that he couldn't sleep. He lay awake for hours before he finally got up and sat in the armchair near Harry's bed, simply watching the young man with ebony hair sleep.  
  
Suddenly, Harry stirred in his sleep, and if he were trying to run from something. "NOOOO!!!" he screamed, tossing about in his bed. "No! Get away form him! Don't kill him; I love him. I love him." Harry was now sobbing into his pillow.  
  
Draco sat on the edge of the bed and stroked Harry's forehead, waking him gently. Harry turned onto his back, and Draco found himself lost in the pools of liquid emerald that opened to him at once. Upon seeing Draco, Harry sat up, hugging him close, and burying his tear streaked face in the blonde's shoulder. "You're alive. Oh, thank God, you're alive. It was only a dream."  
  
Draco sat there a moment, dumbfounded, then wrapped his arms around Harry, gently rubbing his back, and murmuring to him, "It's all right. It was only a nightmare. Only a dream."  
  
"Draco, I'm sorry about today. I'm just scared, and nervous, and – and..."  
  
"I still love you." There was silence. _Oh, god, I shouldn't have said that, should I?_ "Please forgive me?"  
  
More silence.  
  
"There's nothing to forgive. Especially since I still love you, too. I just don't want to be the reason for your death."  
  
"Harry, I'm already in danger simply because I was spy and discovered. Please, don't push me away this time."  
  
Harry's lips curved into a smile as he whispered, "I won't" into Draco's shoulder.  
  
The two boys shared a chaste kiss, before lying down on the bed and going to sleep.  
  
Harry awoke at 4:30 the next morning. He carefully extracted himself from Draco's arms and silently climbed down the stairs and walked to the kitchen. He flicked on the light and drew a glass of water from the tap.  
  
Suddenly, there was a soft knock on the front door. Harry took a long swallow of water before strolling to the door granting the nighttime visitor entrance. A man of average height, a little porky, and with a thick neck stood before him. "Vernon?" Harry gasped.  
  
"Shhh," Vernon gasped. "Petunia doesn't know I'm here."  
  
"Coincidentally, why are you here?" Harry asked, on edge.  
  
"Petunia told me you were engaged to a young man."  
  
"And that has what to do with you standing on my door step at 4:30 in the morning?"  
  
"I need to talk to you about this young man of yours. Can we sit down."  
  
Harry gave his uncle a puzzled look, but led him to the kitchen table where they sat opposite each other. "Now what's this?" He asked once they were settled.  
  
"Do you realize that the present government, as well as the Ministry of Magic, do not look fondly upon homosexuals, and any claims of divorce/adultery from a homosexual marriage, the marriage is denied? They say it never happened?"  
  
"How do you know about the Ministry, and all this junk you've just laid on the table?"  
  
"I'm a squib, Harry. And I was in love once, long before Petunia, and we were married. But I had no backbone, then. When I was accused of being gay, I married Petunia. I think that was what drove him over the edge. He became cold and unfeeling to anyone, and he joined he ranks of the Death Eaters."  
  
They were silent a moment, Harry sipped his water while he contemplated what Vernon had just told him. Then Vernon spoke up again. "Do you love him, Harry?"  
  
"Yes," Harry replied. "With all my heart."  
  
"Don't ever let him doubt your love." He stood up and began to leave, but he turned around. "Oh, we will be here for dinner this evening. Give us a ring and let us know what time."  
  
Harry nodded and followed his uncle to the door. Vernon stopped and stared at Draco who was standing at the foot of the steps. "Good Lord, you look just like Lucius!" he breathed.  
  
Harry glanced quickly at his uncle then, said, "Vernon, this is Draco. Malfoy."  
  
"What a strange coincidence," he said to himself, then, louder, "Good day to you Harry, Draco." Then he turned and left the house.  
  
A/N:: heehee. I liked writing this one. The line "Never let him doubt your love." Is from the story WILD by Ann Valentine. I'm not sure if it's on her f.net profile or not, but the link to her web page, which it is on, is there. She let me keep my story how I had it, because she's a goddess. So, YOU MUST ALL BOW DOWN AND WORSHIP THE ALMIGHTY ANN!!! Heh. Ok, you can go on now.


	4. Ch3:Pillow fight and oh shit

Draco stood at the bottom of the steps a moment. He watched as Vernon quietly nodded to him and left, closing the door silently behind him. He watched as Harry, apparently in his own world, sat on the floor and chewed his lip. He watched as Harry's eyes steeled in preparation for tears. He could not watch his beloved Harry cry on his own. He could not watch his beloved Harry curl into himself, and hug himself.   
  
Draco stirred and, walking around him, sat behind Harry, and pulled him into a comforting hug. Harry leaned into the embrace, and the tears, which had threatened to fall, melted before the reached his eyes. Harry smiled.

"It doesn't matter what other people think of us," Draco murmured, stroking Harry's back. "We've both lived with disappointing the world's preconceptions of us before; we can now."  
  
Harry nodded against Draco's chest. "And world be damned if they don't like it." Harry stood and pulled Draco up after him.   
  
"That's the spirit."   
  
 "How about a little sleep before our meeting with Mrs. Figg?"

Draco chuckled. "I don't know if you've noticed, but it's 5:30. We should shower and dress. And then we can go shopping for this dinner or whatever after we talk to her."

"Okay." A devilish glint shone from Harry's eyes as he sprinted down the hall, calling, "I dibs first shower!"

"Cheater!" Draco tore after him.

Draco easily caught up to Harry, and just as they got to the bathroom doorway, Harry murmured a few words, and Draco felt ice-cold water pouring onto him, he stopped cold as Harry ran inside the bathroom, and locked the door. "You will pay for that, Harry James Potter!" Draco could hear Harry laugh at that. "What?"

"My middle name isn't James," Harry chuckled before he turned on the shower, drowning out Draco's growl of annoyance.

When Harry finished his shower, he unlocked the door and apparated to the bedroom, quickly changing into a pair of black leather slacks and a blue button-down shirt, which he left unbuttoned. He crept down the stairs to find Draco still standing in front of the bathroom door. "Come on, Harry, how long does it take to get dressed?" Draco said to the door.

Harry grinned and whispered "Scourgefy." Draco turned around, red faced. Harry's face was also red, but from trying to contain a giggle. "That was not nice, Harry," Draco cooed.

"Hmph, I was only trying to save time. You could change clothes now, you know."

A glint appeared in Draco's eyes. "Could I, now?" he asked as he stalked toward Harry.

Seeing the look on Draco's face, Harry turned tail and ran to the steps, but Draco caught up to him and slung him over his shoulder. "Put me down!" Harry yelped just before he was thrown onto the bed. Draco picked up a pillow and began beating Harry with it, laughing. Harry quickly summoned the pillow Draco had used the night before, and began defending himself with it. Soon, they had an all-out pillow fight going. The jumped on and off the bed, chasing each other through the room until Draco stopped suddenly, and Harry barely missed running into him. "Whoa," Draco said, still looking at the clock, for that was what had made him stop. "We need to go in about five minutes. I'll get dressed."

Harry smiled and walked down the stairs and waited for Draco. He didn't have to wait long. The Slytherin had never been one for primping, though it was a common misconception that he did, simply because he always looked good. Harry opened the door. "Oh….shit…"

Heehee. Cliffie. I'm sorry it's so short, but the next one should be longer.


	5. Ch4:Forgive and Forget

Harry stared at the form of Lucius Malfoy on his doorstep. _How did he find out?_ he thought to himself as Draco took a step forward.

"What do you want, Lucius?" he spat at his father.

"Now, now, Draco. I heard a rumour concerning you and thought I would see for myself if it was true." He turned to Harry. "May I have a word with my son?"

Harry crossed his arms over his chest. "That's not for me to decide."

"Very well. Draco, may I have a word with you alone?"

Draco chewed on his lip a moment before nodding. Harry walked down the porch steps, "I'll wait for you."

Draco nodded again. He watched as Harry walked down the block, glancing back at him every few moments. He stopped and stood watching the two blondes, waiting.

Draco turned back to his father. "Why are you here?"

"About three weeks ago I heard you were dating that silly Potter boy again. I figured I should warn you - don't fall in love with him. It will only hurt you when he leaves."

"Fuck off, Lucius, you know nothing about me or Harry."

"Very well, then. But don't say I didn't warn you." Lucius began to leave, but turned back around, "Oh, and don't think that this means you are part of the family again. We don't tollerate Muggle-lovers or faggots." And with that, he disapparated.

Draco was still chewing his lip when he reached Harry. Harry said nothing, simply watched him as they walked back up the block and crossed the street to Mrs. Figg's. She cracked the door open and made a big fuss over letting them in.

Once they were inside, she apologized profusely.She then left rather abruptly and came back carrying a tray with tea and cakes. "Help yourselves, boys," she said as she sat down on one of the doilied couches. "Now, the reason you were stationed here was so you could keep an eye out for the Dursely family..."

"WHAT!" It was not, however Harry's outburst, but Draco's. "You expect me to watch out for the family that made Harry's life a living hell?"

"Forgive and forget, Draco," Harry murmured.

"How can you forgive them, Harry?"

"Because I'm just the noble Gryffindor, I guess." He looked at Draco's incredulous face a moment. "Actually, I think it's Vernon's talk last night. It wasn't that he hated me, he resented me. I had something he didn't."

"And for that you'll forgive him?"

"Yes."

Draco sighed and Mrs. Figg took this moment to interject. "Mr. Potter's right, Mr. Malfoy, it is always best to forgive."

"So, you expect Harry to forgive Voldemort for making him an orphan?"

"No," it was Harry this time. "Because he did it out of a lust for power, and didn't stop there, or even start there."

Again, Draco sighed. Silence reigned for a few moments before Draco spoke up, "How did Lucius know where to find me?"

"You are a member of his family. He can apparate directly to you, unless he disowns you," Mrs. Figg answered.

Draco, who had been frowning through her explanation grinned once she had finished. Harry turned to him shocked, "He didn't did he?"

Draco nodded, " 'We don't tollerate Muggle-lovers or faggots' were his exact words."

"That's rather hypocritical," Harry snorted.

"Maybe, but apparently, it's for the best."

Harry turned to Mrs. Figg, "Is there anything else, or is that our debreifing?"

"That's it, boys. Go make your house comfortable."

Harry and Draco, proceeded out the door and back up the block to their house. Once inside, they locked the door and flopped onto the couch, Draco leaning against Harry's chest. Harry lazily flung an arm around Draco's torso and pulled him closer, smelling his hair. They just lay there, completely comfortable in each other's presence, and soon they fell asleep. It didn't last long. Draco turned in his sleep and his hip bone ground into Harry's thigh. Harry woke to the shot of pain going up his leg. He grunted as he shifted Draco around, waking him in the process.

"What'd you do that for?"

"You have sharp bones."

"Oh. well, I guess we need to go shopping for dinner anyway."

"But I'm comfy," Harry complained.

"They're your relatives."

"You invited them."

They laughed. And laughed. "God we sound like an old married couple."

"Married couple, yes. Old? Never."

Draco snuggled into Harry and hummed in comfort.

"Feel like a homemade calzone?"

"Sure. You liked your trip to New York last year, didn't you?"

"Indeed I did." Harry stood up, dragging Draco with him. "Come on, let's go shopping."

* * *

They were standing in front of the vegetable bin at the grocery store. 

"But Harry, Peperoni tastes good."

"No it doesn't, and it's bad for you."

"We have healers."

"Draco, honestly. It's all grease."

"Better than that spinach shit you want."

"Spinach stastes good and it's good for you."

"Mk. How's this. You make two calzones, one yummy peperoni, and one your nasty spinach and mushroom."

"I guess I can do that."

* * *

It was one hour from six, and Draco was hirriedly trying to make the downstairs presentable while Harry was busily at work in the kitchen. There was a knock at the door as Draco changed the colour of the sofa one more time. 

"Draco, could you get that?" Harry called from the kitchen.

"Way ahead of you," Draco called back as he opened the door.

In front of him stood three people who he had grown to hate from tales of Harry's childhood told to him, not by Harry, but by Ron Weasley. He gritted his teeth and smiled, "Come in. Harry's finishing up dinner, so if you'll just make yourselves comfortable..."

A flick of his wrist produced a second sofa perpendicular to the first. The boy, Dudley, Draco reminded himself,nodded to Draco and sat on the corner of the magically conjured couch. The woman, Petunia, hesitated as the man, Vernon, sat beside his son. "Mum," Dudley whined, "It's not going to hurt you. Don't embarrass me."

Petunia reluctantly sat beside her husband with obvious discomfort.

"I'll just go check on Harry," Draco cut through the tense air.

Dudley smiled and nodded. _This isn't the Dudley I remember from Ron's stories..._

Draco walked up behind Harry watching him take the second calzone out of the oven. When he had set it on the stove, Draco came closer and wrapped his arms around the other young man. He kissed his neck, "They're here, love."

Harry sighed. "I'm going to kill you if this doesn't turn out. It was your idea."

"We'll see," Draco grinned as he slid one of the calzones onto a serving platter. "we'll see."

A/N: So, I'm pissed at there was more to this chapter, but it's been deleted in the uploading. So, what I remember of it will be at the beginning of the next chapter, which should be out soon. And I appologize for the long absence. Working fifty-five hours a week AND going to college... It may be a bit before my update. CHEERS!


	6. Revelations

Draco took one of the calzones and slipped it onto a platter. Harry took the other and slid it onto a second platter on the counter.

"Ready?" Draco smiled.

"As ready as I'll ever be," Harry sighed.

"Dinner is served," Draco announced as he and Harry set the platters on the table.

The three from the sitting room soon joined and sat with their relative and his partner. Dinner was eaten in relative silence. Tense silence. As Harry cleared the dishes, Dudley offered to help wash up. Harry gave him a calculating look before nodding and leading him into the kitchen. Harry started filling the sink with warm water.

As he squirted some dishsoap into the steam of water, Dudley _grinned_, "I'll wash. You know where everything goes."

Harry stared at him. He must have been immagining things. Had Dudley acually _grinned_ at _him_? Not a derisive grin, but a true, honest-to-God _grin_? ...No. Couldn't be. But there it was again. That weird behavior. That _grin_.

"Er... Who are you, and what have you done with my cousin?"

And then it happened. Dudley _grinned_ again. And _laughed_. Not his usual cruel laugh that meant a trouble was coming, but a real amused _laugh._ What was the world coming to?

"Harry, I never really hated you, you know."

"Sure put on a damn good act."

"Had to. Mum would've had a cow if was actually nice to 'the freak', you know?"

Harry stared at him a moment, then nodded. As they started washing the dishes, Harry asked, "So, you've been working out, huh? You've kicked the weight."

Dudley laughed again. "No. I was never really fat."

"So, what was it, a fat suit?"

"No. It was glamour," Dudley explained as he put a plate in the drain. "All my summer 'remedial' classes? They were really magic crash courses. Basically everything you learned in a year, I learned in three months."

"Wow. So, you're really one of us?"

"Yeah."

"Does Petunia know?"

"Not yet. I'm not sure I'm going to tell her or not."

"I assume Uncle Vernon does know, though?"

"Yeah. He's the one who noticed." Dudley placed the handful of silverware in the drain. "Well, that's about it."

Harry handed his towel to his cousin to dry his hands. "It's good to actually know you, Dudley."

Harry offered his right hand, and Dudley grasped it, "You, too, Harry. You too."

The two strolled into the sitting room together only to see Draco and Vernon chattimg amicably.

"Da, where's mum?"

"She went home. Migraine, she claims." Dudley quirked an eyebrow. "We should probably head back too. Dinner was wonderful, Harry."

"Thank you."

Draco and Harry led Vernon and Dudley to the door. As Dudley stepped onto the porch, he turned back around. "Harry, if you need anything, let me know. And don't even think about running off for an adventure without me." He grinned and patted Harry's shoulder before leaving.

Harry closed the door and collapsed on the sofa. Draco perched on the sofa's arm and ran his fingers through Harry's hair. They sat in silence and soon Harry's peaceful snores drifted softly through the air. Draco smiled to himself as he cradled his boyfriend in his arms and carried him upstairs to bed.

A/N:A short one, I know.And for those of you who didn't get it with chapter Two. Yes, Harry and Draco used to date. Hence the "I **_still_** love you". And all the 'How could I have let him go?' and the "Don't push me away this time." Anywhen, that's it, thought I should explain. Cheers!


End file.
